Statement in Response to: Bill 179, Regulated Health Professions Statute Law Amendment Act, 2009

Toronto, May 11, 2009– Ontario’s doctors will be reviewing the legislation introduced today to ensure that patient safety is protected and that patients are receiving the best care from the most appropriate health care professional.  We are pleased that many of our concerns that were raised during the consultation process were addressed. Protecting patient safety is paramount and will be our key consideration as we review the legislation.

We are also pleased that the government has committed to continue to focus on collaborative care, not health care provided in silos. Collaborative care models that bring health care professionals together have gone a long way to enhance access to services for Ontarians. Today, over 630,000 patients who didn’t have access to a physician now do. We are currently working with the government to find another 500,000 people a doctor.

However, the level of care that a doctor can provide should not be substituted for expediency.  According to a report released by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences not having a family doctor leads to more emergency room visits and hospital admissions for those who have chronic diseases in Ontario.  That’s why Ontario’s doctors firmly believe that it should continue to be the goal of the government to help every Ontarian that doesn’t have a family physician find one.

Dr. Suzanne Strasberg, MD
President
Ontario Medical Association

For more information, please contact:
Leianne Musselman, OMA Media Relations (647) 638-6800